Gawaine Baillie
|birth = 8/3/1934 |death = 21/12/2003 |debut = Brands Hatch 1958 |champs = 0 (3rd 1959)|wins = 9 |teams = Equipe Endeavour}} Sir Gawaine Baillie is a former British Touring Car Championship driver from the early years of the championship.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gawaine_Baillie Baillie, despite never winning the championship outright, was known for his battles in the Jaguar Mk II, alongside the likes of Roy Salvadori and Graham Hill. Background Baillie had a limited motorsport career prior to his entry into the newly formed British Saloon Car Championship in 1958. His motorsport debut came in 1956, when he raced a Lotus Eleven sports car. After starting in the BTCC in 1958, Baillie would continue to race in sports cars, entering the Le Mans 24 Hours and Tour de France.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1450793/Sir-Gawaine-Baillie-Bt.html However, Baillie would make his name in the BSCC. BTCC History Baillie made his debut in the BSCC at Brands Hatch, finishing second in the first championship race. Indeed, in the races that Baillie entered, he would finish on the podium, claiming victory in his Jaguar 3.4 litre (run by Equipe Endeavour) at the third race of the year. This was followed by a strong showing in 1959, where Baillie finished third in the drivers championship (and won Class D) without a team backing him. Three wins on the trot, along with four other podiums, were enough for Baillie to claim the class. With the BSCC changing regulations in 1960, Baillie switched to endurance racing, entering the 24 hours of Le Mans. Entering in the (non-championship eligible) 1600+ class at two rounds, Baillie took another victory, before returning to the BSCC full time in 1961. Baillie, as one of eight drivers using Jaguar Mk IIs was often involved in battles at the front of the field, scrapping with Roy Salvadori, Graham Hill and Bruce McLaren for victories. However, only a single win would result from 1961 and 1962, which saw Baillie leave the BSCC, briefly, at the end of the season. Baillie returned after the first two rounds of 1963, now equipped with a Ford Cortina GT. After a sixth place finish, Baillie switched to a Ford Galaxie, aiding Jack Sears to his second title with a best finish of second in class. 1964 saw Baillie return with his Galaxie and take two further Class D wins, taking him to fifth in the overall standings. In 1965, Baillie bought himself a lighter Ford Mustang to compete in the BSCC. This change saw Baillie resume his former form, as he consistently finished on the podium in his class, taking another two race wins. 1966 would, however, prove to be Baillie's final year in the BSCC, as he took the Mustang to one further victory in class and finish sixth overall in that years title battle. BTCC Record A table containing 's best results in the BTCC. The figures after the information about the car used indicate 's best finish at that meeting in their class. |R1 = P2 |R2 = P2 |R3 = P1 |R4 = P2 |R5 = P2 |R6 = P2 |R7 = P2 |R8 = Dash |R9 = Dash}} |R1 = P3 |R2 = P3 |R3 = P3 |R4 = P1 |R5 = P1 |R6 = P1 |R7 = P2}} |Position = |R1 = Dash |R2 = P1 |R3 = Dash |R4 = Dash |R5 = Dash |R6 = P3 |R7 = Dash |R8 = Dash}} |R1 = P1 |R2 = P4 |R3 = P5N |R4 = P5N |R5 = P3 |R6 = PRet |R7 = P5N |R8 = Dash |R9 = P5N}} |R1 = P5N |R2 = P5N |R3 = P6N |R4 = Dash |R5 = P4 |R6 = P3 |R7 = P4 |R8 = Dash}} |R1 = Dash |R2 = Dash |R3 = P6N |R4 = P5N |R5 = P4 |R6 = P2 |R7 = PRet |R8 = Dash |R9 = Dash |R10 = Dash |R11 = Dash}} |R1 = P2 |R2 = PRet |R3 = P1 |R4 = P2 |R5 = P3 |R6 = P1 |R7 = P2 |R8 = Dash}} |R1 = P3 |R2 = P2 |R3 = P3 |R4 = P2 |R5 = P2 |R6 = P2 |R7 = P3 |R8 = Dash}} |R1 = P3 |R2 = P4 |R3 = P2 |R4 = P3 |R5 = P3 |R6 = PRet |R7 = P1 |R8 = P2}} |} References Category:Drivers